Once you’ve been approved for internship eligibility it can be stressful trying to find and secure an internship. One good thing about securing an internship is that you don’t need to secure one until the first day of the semester you’re interning. This means, if you don’t yet have an internship, you have all of winter break to find one.
The process of finding an internship can be overwhelming, so here it’ll be broken down to ensure you have less stress when you’re out searching. First, you must find internship opportunities. This blog and the @npcommedia Instagram are great places to find an internship. The internship coordinator and team receive many opportunities that are quickly shared on the blog and Instagram, so these places are great resources for finding internships in a timely fashion.
Another place to find internships is The Big List. The Big List is where all past internships that students in the CMM and DMJ departments have previously interned. There is a plethora of on campus, local, and NYC internships to suit any type of internship you’re looking for. One feature this list offers, that other sources don’t directly offer, is a connection. Because past New Paltz students have interned with these people before, the internship coordinator of the organization may be more inclined to respond to, interview, stay in contact with, or even offer an internship to someone because of prior connections.
Some websites that post job/internship listings are Handshake (formerly HawkHire – can be found on my.newpaltz.edu under the “Employment Resources” tab), Media Bistro, Indeed, and more. These sites include listings placed directly from the organization itself. The bulletin boards in CSB and the Congrats email you receive once you complete internship eligibility are also good places to look for internships or can direct you to other places to look.
Once you have narrowed down the internship you are interested in, reach out. Some organizations have an email you can reach out to apply, or they have a formal application. Most listings on the Instagram and Blogs have the method of contact listed and The Big List does as well.
Once you’ve applied, all you have to do is wait. You may get an offer right away, but more likely than not you will have to interview. Make sure to dress nice, if it’s over video chat make sure to be in a tidy and quiet location, and bring your most professional self.
Once you have secured a spot with the organization, read this blog to determine what to do next. Good luck with all future internship endeavors and be sure to reach out to Internship Coordinator Nancy Heiz if you have any questions.